ABOUT ME:
 |
|
I have completed the first half century of life in a wonderfully varied and amazingly diverse way. During a sometimes privileged life I’ve achieved many things – not to say all’s been easy. Now in the second half century, life’s more settled which enables one to create a future of meaning.
My last few years have been hectic with fundraising for different charities which has then enabled me to challenge myself in varied aspects of life. I’d challenged myself over many years with ultra distance walking but retired due to knee injuries and took up cycling. With many multi day cycle epics under my belt, the realization of riding for a cause finally became apparent.
CCIA (Childrens’s Cancer Institute of Aust) had a fundraising and cycle challenge from Townsville to Cairns in July 2004. My idea of now cycling for a cause had become the major interest and focus. MS Australia also had a fundraise/cycle challenge to Sri Lanka in August 2004 – 551km through the mountains. I’d only been overseas once up until then so the trip alone - without Keith in a foreign country and with fellow Aussies also unknown to me - would be an experience. I enlisted and furiously started raising funds for MS. There was no real connection for me to MS initially, the final challenge was the intrigue, and since then have been rewarded ten fold by meeting and associating with people afflicted with the disease.
My adventure to Sri Lanka was amazing, showing me another side of life and lives, making me realize how lucky we in Australia are - including myself. Within only a few months of travelling their coastline the tsunami killed many and savaged their entire being. I converted to fundraise for Oxfam Community Aid Abroard as they were involved in helping the devastation. With Oxfam I fundraised and was then challenged to cycle from Vietnam through Cambodia in Nov 2005. There we visited a Village supported by Oxfam, teaching and helping them in the plight to become sustainable farmers. Devastation in Cambodia is on a different level due to the Khmer Rouge reign of terror. Funds for their survival are essential. This was my first visit to Cambodia and the start of a continued relationship with the country and its’ people.
Intrepid Challenges were the backbone behind my previous challenge trips and through them I received notice of “The Amazing Race” MS Challenge. I fundraised, joined with a partner, and in Nov 2007 the rest was history. We started in Vietnam, through Cambodia and crossed into Thailand. What an amazing journey. Unfortuneately though, on leaving Bangkok, my bag was accidently left in a taxi with passport, money, airline tickets and my life! I waved goodbye to my fellow travellers and stayed behind to obtain an emergency passport. Even though the trips’ending was tarnished, the true reward was the travel through Cambodia again and meeting more of its’ amazing people.
Within only weeks of returning home from Nov 07 trip, Intrepid were in contact about a Feb 08 “Habitat for Humanity House-Build” in Cambodia. Without hesitance I enlisted, my insurance and new passport couldn’t happen fast enough. Not having the time for fundraising but knowing the appreciation local Khmer people have for even simple acts of kindness, I knew a house would be life changing for a family and well worth the cause.
The Habitat for Humanity House Build Feb 2008, and association with the local community was fantastic – learning to lay bricks, mix cement and carry rocks was an absolute labour of love and worth every bead of sweat. With our construction week complete we then took part in the handover ceremony of the house proving quite emotional. The following day all boarded the boat and we motored up the mighty Mekong for Siem Reap and the famous temples. Angkor Wat is one of the highlights of the trip and a privilege for me to show new people many things I’ve learnt during my varied trips. I continued on to Battambang once all had departed for the homeland of Australia. This would be my first visit with our sponsor children from World Vision in the six years of sponsorship. This visit was also highly energized and emotional.